Backstage At The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show…Full Lowdown!!

When I received the invitation I was super excited because you guys know I LOVE sharing women’s tips/tricks/thoughts with you guys. Collaborating is my thing.

The night before, my mind flooded with questions for the Angels. It was really important to go to the show fully prepared to report back to YOU. Eek. Here’s every little detail that I can remember ( thanks to my iPhone ‘Voice Recorder’ app & Snapchat! ):

Adriana Lima is kind of the most beautiful woman…ever? Her features are just really stunning. I asked her what she did to get ready for the VSFW & she said one word: “boxing.” Soooo…I’m going boxing on Thursday. Anyone want to join?

Adriana also said she does double workouts a few months before the show. DEDICATION!!

Ok honestly though, I’m surprised Adriana Lima is a real person. She looks fake. I mean she’s prettier in person than she is in pictures? Is that even possible? Crazy town.

Lily Aldridge ( who wore the 2 million dollar ‘Fantasy Bra’ !!! ) said “her food intake includes a lot of protein, low-glycemic fruit, & veggies with absolutely no alcohol months before the show. She also said she practices “a lot of Pilates.”

I personally witnessed Gigi Hadid eat vegetable chips. And let me tell you there was a table full of food & fresh juices. I saw a few of the girls eat RIGHT before the show. One model was eating a mini sandwich on whole wheat bread. Another girl was eating an energy bar & dark chocolate. YES.

Basically they all said they ate. I talked to newcomer, Taylor Hill & she stressed the importance of how the girls “need to have energy for the show” so they have to eat.

Shanina Shaik said she stopped drinking about two months before the show & had a lot of egg white omelettes for breakfast.

Top Angel, Candice Swanepoel is badass. She basically said she works her ass off in the gym. She also said she LOVES strength training.

Alessandra Ambrosio is HOT. But you already know that. Her butt is seriously ridiculous. She said she does lots of yoga, uses resistance bands, & LOVES sushi.

Angel Jasmine Tookes credited “tons of squats” for attaining her toned, lean legs ( ok, officially squating now as I write this ).

Elsa Hosk was the Angel I talked with the most. She was born in Sweden & has a beautiful accent. We took some pictures together but I look like a butthole ( the lighting wasn’t the best backstage ), so I’ll spare you guys. HA. Anyway, Elsa was sweet, soft spoken, & told me that she LOVES boxing. Again, I’m boxing on Thursday if anyone’s looking for me. She also said Victoria’s Secret is like a family & expressed her gratitude towards VS. She was so excited to be in the show! It was really cool.

Kendall & Gigi!! Can’t forget about this duo, right? Ok so they were together texting & Instagramming on their phones ( A LOT of selfies were happening backstage ). They’re beautiful & their skin is absurd. It’s so dewy and perfect. I asked them their fitness/diet tips. They didn’t find out they were in the show until a week-ish before. Kendall said she was going “straight to a burger joint or pizza party after the show.” LOL. The night before, Kendall said she ate chicken & sweet potato ( just typing this is making me crave a sweet potato, YUM ). Miss Gigi said she has a weakness for cheeseburgers but she loves working out. She said she ( surprise ) “loves boxing & fresh green juices.” Gigi & Kendall seemed a little nervous ( but VERY excited ). They’re cute friends!!

As you guys saw on Snapchat I asked a bunch of the younger models about their diets. One beauty said her favorite pre-show snack was “rice cakes with a bunch of raw almond butter.” Here’s a little peek-ity peek at some Snapchat clips:

Another perfectly tanned and toned newer model said 2 workouts, every day for 2 months!! NOW THAT’S DISCIPLINE.

I talked to a bunch of different girls ( there’s a ton!! ) & they all said the regular things: lots of greens, lots of protein, double workouts, eggs, Pilates, SoulCycle, green drinks, & tons of water. Most importantly, a huge theme across the board: the Angels seemed to try to avoid processed food. Also, a lot of the girls are around 5’11.

There’s a TON of makeup, fake hair, alligator chips, & big-ass curlers backstage. A lot of the girls kept their hair in a hair net to hold their curls. Don’t worry guys, I’m looking into this ASAP for you to see if this is something we should all be doing? How did I not know about these lunch lady hair nets? Amazon-ing one now.

OH! And facials were a big topic of conversation backstage at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Like big, big. All the Angels are huge on facials. I heard a bunch of the models discussing how important their monthly facials are. And for the record, their skin is perfectly dewy without being oily. The majority of the girls said they wear SPF daily & wear a lot of coconut oil. One Angel told me she swears by tea tree oil & sprays mineral spray on her face everyday.

HERE’S the THING: I think a lot of people want to say “oh they’re just a pretty face.” But I’m here to tell you, WAIT! These girls are not just a pretty face. 1.) They’re super confident but not in a cocky way. 2.) They work their asses off. I mean it’s fucking dedication to eat well & whip your body into tip top shape. 3.) Their work ethic is inspiring. The prep for the show is NO joke. 4.) A lot of them ( in my opinion ) will go on to build a brand, so not only are they BEAUTIFUL, they’re smart. And 5.) most importantly, they were nice. They all let me talk to them & were kind, sweet, positive, & informative.

Pretty much I love what the show represents, STRONG, POWERFUL, BEAUTIFUL, BALANCED, COOL women who are killing it.

Also, all of women are so grateful to be part of the show. They all say how blessed & lucky they are. No one was a brat and every one sort of radiated good vibes. Super cool.

Ok, let’s talk about the actual show, shall we?

The show was spectacular. TONS OF COLORS. Great vibes. Not too long, not too short. And the models had PERSONALITY on stage. Honestly, this wasn’t like a Fashion Week where there were no smiles, quick walks, & a certain stiffness. The Angels were smiling, laughing, high fiving, & dancing. They were kind of flirting with the audience & the performers and blew a ton of kisses. Super fun!

The performers were Ellie Goulding, The Weeknd, & Selena Gomez ( DIED for her ). All of them were fabulous.

Ok so, if I had to pick a favorite model it would be Taylor Hill. Her personality is adorable ( she was so nice too ) & she’s STUNNING. Like, damnnnn. Also, Behati Prinsloo’s runway personality was the cutest thing EVER. Her vibe is so on point. She was smiling super big & having the time of her life. She opened the show, which didn’t surprise me!

The show ended with a bang & all the women came on stage. It was a powerful ending & their confidence was contagious.

Later in the night, was the VS Afterparty. All the models go to the Afterparty but they don’t stay long, they’re in & out. The Afterparty was super cool to witness. My favorite dress was Gigi’s. It was to die. My girlfriend, Jana, did Gigi’s hair for the Afterparty in a low bun. I asked her how she did it & Jana literally said “it took two seconds, it was a low bun, & super low maintenance.” Anyway, Gigi was smoking at the Afterparty. She wore this cut out black dress that was so damn sexy, but not overly sexy. The bun was the perfect contrast to the dress. The event was held at Tao Downtown which had kind of a club vibe, but really reflected the VS brand because they had it set up with purple-ish, pink tones. A perfect ending to a perfect day!

Ultimately, in my opinion these are not women who starve themselves. Quite the contrary, actually. They’re all strong, toned, confident women who are super inspiring. And it seems they’ve all busted their ass to become Angels. It’s not like they woke up one day & ended up walking the VS Fashion Show. Honestly, I left the show inspired. AND EXTRA inspired to do TSC Bombshell Body Guide ; ). Definitely will be sweating it out & upping my green smoothie consumption.

The show airs December 8th at 10 PM on CBS— you guys don’t want to miss it. The costumes are INSANE. And each model really shows her personality. You can get acquainted with the Angels here.

If you have any other questions that I missed, leave them below! I hope I covered everything for you guys : ).

The whole experience was magical & it’s really special to share it with all of YOU.

45 comments | Leave a Comment +

I love Kendall! Despite her crazy upbringing, she seems pretty down to earth. I actually believe her about the pizza and cheeseburger… she seems to eat what she wants within moderation, which I’m a huge fan of!Anna recently posted..80:20 Rule for Balanced Eating

can you go into more detail about their skin routines or what kind of facials they’re getting? i’m trying to perfect my skin now, but it’s hard to know which route to take with so many options out there!

LOVED this post! I have always been a fan of the VS fashion show and always feel super inspired to be healthier after watching (as opposed to being jealous and pessimistic). It’s great the hear the girls are as fab/sweet/dedicated as I imagine them to be. LOVE LOVE LOVE this insight. Can’t wait to watch on the 8th now!

I took a boxing class for the first time last week, loved it! Kickboxing too. I went to a UFC gym where you actually punch a heavy bag and it was such an amazing workout, I can see why they’re addicted! xx

Great coverage! I actually posed this question/desire over on Annie Lawless’ Blawnde blog- will there ever be a supermodel, no less a VS Angel, who ISN’T tall? I stand at four foot nine; I’ve been tiny my entire life, and have struggled not only to find good clothes that fit and look good, but someone in my category that I can relate (NOT emulate) with. It’s why I am so, sooo itching to find a way to create my own brand and model it myself. I don’t know how, heck, sometimes I don’t even know why (as I’m mostly a tomboy and working on online health coaching, writing, and acting at the moment), but I feel inside that I have to do this. Anyway, that’s my question, really. We can have plus sized stores but there are hardly ANY petites!

What an incredibly experience! This is seriously my dream and I could not agree with you more about this showing being so much more about pretty girls walking down a runway. Their confidence is so inspiring. GREAT recap! 🙂

If you get to do this next year you should post their answers in a Q&A format or video. A lot of these girls have a lot going for them in their careers. Ask them about branding themselves, the ups and downs of trying to break into the industry, their plans/interests outside of modeling. Always #AskHerMore.

Such a fun post and what an awesome opportunity to go backstage! I love that they work their butts off, but also have a blast and are making healthy food choice along the way. Now, off to boxing!Ashley recently posted..Currently Loving

I am so happy that it reiterates everything I say when people ask about my fitness regime. Whole food, strength training, + a mix of high and low intensity cardio. Genetics also play a role – some girls are just built to have muscular thighs, some NEVER will even if they squatted 100lbs on the reg. And that is OK, it’s beautiful!

You have to embrace your own body type and work within it. Calories count, but when you eat whole, it isn’t hard!!

I also agree that these models seem fit & balanced… of course they’re thin, but they have muscle tone & some shape!

I 100% agreed with Lily Aldridge on the lean meats, veggies, low glycemic fruits and no alcohol. That is how I try to live 6 days of the week to stay healthy… it really makes a difference! After a vacation (where I clearly eat whatever I want) I cut the alcohol out everyday for a few weeks… so sad, but removing alcohol makes the BIGGEST difference… and makes it taste so much better on those cheat days 😉

Tons of reasons… alcohol really dehydrates you (and your skin) and in terms of keeping your weight in check, it’s just empty calories and metabolizes into sugar. If you’re drinking things like wine, it’s also a ton of extra carbohydrates. Alcohol also disrupts systems like your digestion and messes with sleep patterns… so when you want to feel & look you’re best, it’s a good idea to cut it out for a bit.

When I saw you were going to the VS fashion show, I was GREEN with envy. I have been watching the shows for YEARS!!! For as long as I can remember… back when Tyra and Heidi were all the rage. This would be an absolute dream come true for me. So glad you were able to experience it and share it with all of us so we can live vicariously through you 😛tara creel recently posted..Cooking With Zucchini Noodles

This is such an awesome recap, Lauryn! I love the VSFS and get so sick of the backlash against the models – these women work hard and it’s such a beautiful, fun, colorful production. Thank you for presenting the TRUTH! And I’m so glad you had a great time at the show and backstage – such a memorable experience!

Loveee this post!! So cool to hear about what all the girls did to get ready for the show. I am huge on making sure my protein intake is enough too. So important to stay strong and healthy! Thanks for sharing babe, great insights into the VS world <3

Oh Love it.. I met Candice once and I’m totally hooked since then. I love her! 😀
but I was wondering if its true that they stop drinking a few hours before so the loose water? That would be CRAZY!Mia recently posted..Find the rainbow in Singapore

Amazing post Lauryn, you rock! I was following along on snapchat the entire time. I have always been obsessed with the VS fashion show and I love all their eating/workout tips! Thanks so much! You put so much work into this post 🙂Alexis @ Chemistry Cachet recently posted..Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie

Love this post! I love how you showed how models are people too! So interesting that so many of them don’t drink alcohol for months before the show. I quit drinking for a month for weight loss and it was so hard to do. Two-a-days are also soooo hard and time consuming! Also.. after reading your post I think that Victoria’s Secret needs to come out with their own line of green juices /smoothies since they are so popular with their models!
Thanks for the post- love the pictures Lauryn!Virginia recently posted..How To Make Your Nail Polish Last

Taylor Hill is one of my favourites as well, she just seems so sweet and genuine. Plus, she is absolutely stunning!!

So exciting that you got to go backstage, I would’ve probably run around like a headless chicken trying to figure out who to talk to/stalk first haha!

I swear by tea tree as well. Every night I wash my face with warm water then apply my homemade toner before bed. It’s a mix of raw apple cider vinegar, filtered water, and tea tree oil. Works like a charm! X

LOVED this! Basically the dream post I’ve always wanted one of my fave bloggers to cover hehe. So amazing that you got to go and have built TSC to what it is today, I’m feeling inspired just reading this post. Love love love!

Wow, looks like you had an amazing experience and that is fantastic that you got to chat to all the VS Angels about their health and fitness tips! Really surprised to hear that Gigi H. smokes.
Thanks for this great recap, Lauryn!Alice @ Honestly Fitness recently posted..These are the 3 Best Protein Powders

Great post!! You did an amazing job getting the deets on the stuff we’re dying to know! I imagine with all of the craziness backstage, that’s no easy task.

Do you have anymore info on skin care routines? I’d love to hear more about the model who uses tea tree oil and sprays mineral mist on her face. Never heard of mineral mist, I’d love to get my hands on some. Also, I typically use tea tree oil as an antiseptic but find that it is super drying so idk how it can be used as a beauty regimine on the face.

Great post! That must have been such an amazing experience!
I’ve always been a big fan of the VSFS, it’s the perfect workout/life motivation & inspiration for the end of the year. I recorded the show and finally watched it yesterday and they are all so beautiful.
Taylor Hill is a bombshell though…like wow…so stunning, definitely my fav too!
<3